I'm a Hero

It's official... I am a Hero. I would actually prefer "Heroine" but... right now I'll take what I can get. It was Remembrance Day yesterday and I saved two lives, maybe even three. Nope, didn't risk my life running into a burning building or drag someone out of a motor vehicle accident.

All I did was sit in a chair with my legs up and let a phlebotomist poke me with a needle and draw some of my blood for 10 minutes. Yup... that's it... that easy. It's a pretty low bar to getting the "Hero" label... and I'm surprised that more people don't give it a whirl.

I asked a nurse, "Why don't more people donate blood?". Number One reason - They are afraid of needles. Afraid of seeing their life blood flow out of their arms and down into the pouch. I get it... needles aren't any fun and the ones that Canadian Blood Services use are larger than the ones from the medical labs. But, seriously, it's only a brief pinch and you don't even have to watch...

I did some more digging and here are some of the other top reasons why people don't donate blood. I borrowed this list (and tweaked it) from the University of Maryland Medical Centre website:

1. I don't like or am scared of needles; I am afraid to give blood. - Many people feel that way at first. However, most donors will tell you that you feel only a slight initial pinch, and 7-10 minutes later, you are finished and headed for the snack table. If you take the time (and courage) to make one donation, you'll wonder why you ever hesitated.
2. Others are donating enough. -  Nope. Only 4% of eligible Canadians actually donate blood (about 750,000). Of those, only about 400,000 donate blood on a regular basis. In reality, 50% of Canadians are eligible to donate (18,500,000). Canadian Blood Services currently has a 5-7 day supply of most blood types. There is never enough blood. Oh, and 52 per cent of the population reports that they or their family members have needed blood donations at one point in their lives. Huh...
   
3. I am too busy. - The entire process takes about an hour, and the actual blood donation time is only 7-10 minutes. If you stop to think that an hour of your time could mean a lifetime for a premature baby, someone with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, someone who's had an accident, or a woman who's given birth, you might decide that you can make the time to give the gift of life. You can even ask yourself... do you know someone who has ever received a blood donation? Weren't you grateful to the anonymous individual who took an hour out of their day and braved the needle to donate a pint of their life blood? You can return the favour to someone else. It's a nice little version of Pay it Forward.
   
4. No-one ever asked me ... I didn't realize my blood was needed. - Consider yourself asked! There is simply no other way to supply the blood needs of hospital patients but for the generous donations of people like you. Every two seconds someone in Canada needs blood.
5. I already gave this year. - Men can give every 56 days and women can give ever 84 days. Many donors give 4-5 times a year!
6. I am afraid I'll get AIDS. - It is not possible to get AIDS by donating blood to Canadian Blood Services. A new sterile needle is used for each donor and discarded afterwards. Trust me... they are super careful with each precious donor.
   
7. My blood isn't the right type. - Every type of blood is needed daily to meet patient needs. If you have a common blood type, there are many patients who need it, so it is in high demand. If you have a less common blood type, there are fewer donors available to give it, so it is in short supply.
8. I don't have any blood to spare. - The average adult body has 10-12 pints of blood. Doctors say that healthy adults may give regularly because the body quickly replaces the blood you donate.
9. I don't want to feel weak afterward. - Donating blood should not adversely affect a healthy adult because your body has plenty of blood. You will donate less than one pint, and your body, which constantly makes new blood, will replace the donated volume within 24 hours. Most people continue their usual activities after donating. Just don't drink alcohol after donating - not even that evening - trust me... not a good idea! Drink lots of water though! And... listen to the nurses when they tell you not to do any heavy lifting. Not even a grocery bag. Unless you want a spectacular bruise on your arm.
   
10. They won't want my blood. (I am too old. / I've had an illness.) - If you have doubts, check with your physician. The qualified staff on duty at a blood drive will also review your medical history with you. There is no upper age limit to donate blood with Canadian Red Cross, and a great many medical conditions do not prevent you from donating blood, or may have done so only temporarily in the past.
11. I have a rare blood type, so I'll wait until there is a special need. - Blood that is rare or special is almost always in short supply. There is a constant need for these blood types in order to avoid having to recruit specific blood types in a crisis.

Now there are some things that do disqualify you from donating blood - Did you get a body piercing recently? Do you have a new sexual partner? Are you underweight? Are you under the age of 17? Are you a drug addict? Are you anemic? Traveled outside Canada in the last 14 days? These are some of the reason why you legitimately are excused from donating blood. There are others... like working with monkeys, or having Ebola, or some other weird diseases. The nurses go through all that stuff with you in the pre-screening session. And a lot of these are simply deferrals... you might not be able to donate this time but... there's always next time.

Plus, they've stream-lined the intake procedure - you can fill out the pre-donation questionnaire online and get a Q-code that you just scan when you arrive.

Which means you get to complete the "lifestyle" questions on your own instead of being asked them by a nurse... here's a sample of some of the questions...

• In the last 6 months have you had sex with a sex trade worker or anyone else who has taken money or drugs for sex?
• In the last 6 months have you had sex with anyone who has ever taken illegal drugs with a needle?
• In the last 6 months have you taken money or drugs for sex?
• In the last 6 months have you taken illegal drugs with a needle even one time?
• In the last 6 months have you had sex with anyone who has HIV/AIDS or has tested positive for the HIV/AIDS virus?
• In the last 6 months have you taken care of or handled monkeys or their body fluids as part of your job?

And... you get to eat a salty snack before the donation (Hello, potato chips my old friend!) and a sweet snack (Good afternoon chocolate chip cookies!) and not feel an iota of guilt!! Plus... you get a sticker which says: "Be Nice to Me, I Gave Blood Today". Might come in handy at home...

So... what are you waiting for?? Be a Hero!! Save a Life... or Two... or Three! You have it within you. You have the Gift of Life. Why not share it with others? It's a small step for you that could be a huge step for someone else.

I Saved a Life Today

I saved a life today. Maybe even three lives. Not sure who but... that doesn't matter... what matters is that I took time out of my busy day to step up, roll up my sleeves and bleed.

Yep, I'm a blood donor.

I'm not the coveted O- blood type though. That's the universal donor, whose blood can be infused into anyone in an emergency situation when a patient needs blood NOW.

I'm just an A+ blood type, the second most common after O-, but my blood is still useful for surgeries, etc.

My 50-Donation card

I've been donating blood since university but not consistently. Depending on where I was living, a blood donor clinic might not be all that accessible or even present.

 For a while, in Calgary, I was even a plasma donor. To be honest, I was trying to rack up my donation numbers. You see, blood donors could only donate every two months (now every three months), while plasma donors could donate once a week! Those plasma donations definitely helped boost me closer towards the 50 donations mark. Although... some older plasma donors in Calgary were pushing 1000 donations. I don't think I'm going to hit that benchmark in this lifetime.

Free snacks!!

Anyhow... Canadian Blood Services tries to make the donation process as smooth and efficient as possible. They really try to take care of you because you're not just donating your blood, you're donating your time. There's nothing worse than expecting to be in and out in one hour and walking out of there two hours later. Last year, they made several changes to their process.

I hadn't donated for almost a year and when I went in November last year, I was a bit surprised to find some pre-donation snacks! When you arrive, you are given a 500 ml bottle of water to drink as well as a selection of salty snacks - chips, pretzels, etc. The water and salt help the donation process go smoothly - less dizziness and fainting. Nice.

Pre-donation snack offerings for blood donors

The post-donation process was still the same. After the donation, you get to sit down, relax and be waited on by a gaggle of eager volunteers who offer you fruit juice and package cookies. Both help you recuperate from the donation process.

All of these treats, were individually wrapped: plastic water bottles, chips, tetra-pack juice boxes, cookie packet... and it got me thinking.

If I were to plan ahead... and bring my own... could I skip all of their offerings?

My blood donation
preparation kit

Today, I gave it a shot. I had a blood donation at 9 am and I did some planning and preparation:

• 500 ml metal water bottle - check!
• three pickles (more sodium than a small bag of chips) - check!
• juicy mandarin orange - check!
• handful of grapes - check!

I wasn't sure if these were going to be met with the Blood Services stamp of approval but it was totally fine. The post-donation volunteers were a bit deflated when I said I had water and my own treats, but they took it in good stride.

It didn't take a lot of time or effort for me to pull the stuff together. It might not make a huge difference in the massive blood donation operation but it's one Small Step... and it made a difference for me.

And my donation made a difference for someone out there... someone having heart surgery, or getting cancer treatment or a car crash victim.

50% of Canadian will need blood or know someone who will need blood. But... only 5% of eligible Canadians actually donate. Do you donate?